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Angel Penn delights the audience with a joke. Photo: Mark Mensh
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OMEDY STANDUP
AT HAMILTON’S ON CAPITOL HILL
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by Sarah Payne
er who, with Morla, hosts a podcast entitled “Comsaid laughing. “Most people say you’re ic Widows”, a spin off of football widows, that feanot supposed to eat before swimming, tures the audience perspective. She also does much but we carb load before swimming.” of the “behind the scenes” work for Comedy on the Mensch and Morla started their Hill including marketing and social media work for work together on “Spaghetti on the the organization. Beach” via Zoom during the pandemic and have since transitioned to an inThe Experience person format. Whether you’re ready to step into the spotlight upMorla is a DC based comic well stairs at Hamilton’s or you’re just looking for a fun known for being the loudest laugh at every show and as a big supportSpaghetti on the er of comedy. He has now grabbed Beach is the Capitol Hill Comedy’s Tuesday the mic to host and produce shows evening comedy show in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. He featuring veteran and has performed at several comedy beginner comedians alike. Photo: Mark shows including the DC Improv Mensh and Spaghetti on the Beach and he has opened for Todd Glass’s show. Mensh is a DC native who recently returned to the District after living in Virginia for several Capitol Hill Comedy years. He has taken his comedic acts to the KenDC residents Mark Mensh, Laura Lyster-Mensh and nedy Center, the Lincoln Theater, and just about Angel Morla (who goes by the stage name Angel Penn) every bar and bowling alley in the area. Mensh created Capitol Hill Comedy, an organization that referred to the DC comedy scene as “one of the produces comedy shows, including the show and open best in the country,” but emphasized the lack of mic at Hamilton’s enigmatically called “Spaghetti on stand up comedy and open mics in the neighthe Beach,” a reference to Morla’s Dominican culture. borhood which is why the team chose the Hill Mark Mensh performs on the mic. “We had this weird tradition where we would to open Capitol Hill Comedy. Photo: Mark Mensh bring a big giant thing of pasta to the beach,” Morla Lyster-Mensh is an author and podcastn a spare stage upstairs at Hamilton’s Bar and Grill (233 2nd Street NW), a young woman looks down at the deck of file cards she’s holding and begins her routine. There’s a smattering of laughter. She’s obviously nervous but determined to keep going. Suddenly she finds her stride, and with the next joke the audience bursts into loud laughter and applause. This trial by fire takes place each Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the upper portion of the restaurant that was converted into a small performance space for aspiring and veteran comedians alike. It features the only open mic for comedy on Capitol Hill.
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